Mould & Bottles

[JamesJenkins]

Hi all,

I am a parronoid new brewer, looking to bottle my first batch of Woodfordes Nog. It has been in the primary fermentation tank for 13 days (as I read somewhere that the longer the better) and I am now ready to bottle it.

I had soaked our bottles in water to get the labels off (didn't work) and took them out last night, only to find some lumps of mould in the water at the end. Clearly I hadn't washed the bottles out properly after use. No obviously I am unsure which bottles the mould came from.

Should I throw out the whole batch? But I cannot really afford to go and buy 40 new bottles. Maybe someone will suggest using a chemical on them, but I don't really want to use that. I have been sterilising using boiling water, but I am paranoid that a little bit of mould might get left in one of the bottles and I absolutely don't want to get food poisoning!

If I did wash these bottles again and then sterilise them in boiling water and a bit of mould did get left in a bottle what is the worse that would happen? Would the bottle just taste off or appear obviously wrong (mould on the top etc) - which I don't mind, I can just throw it away. Or could it be an invisible killer just waiting to strike the drinker a few hours later?!? (Which I would mind).

I know that alcohol is supposed to neutralise any nasties, but would it really neutralise a lump of mould?

Advise and reassurance (or instructions to get new bottles!) very much appreciated...

Many thanks,

James

 

[richc]

I keep empty bottles outside so often have to remove nastier things than a bit of mold (slugs and snails usually). I'd suggest holding each bottle up to the light after cleaning them to spot any mould or other nasties then simply using a bottle brush to clean the suspect bottles more thoroughly.

 

[Baz Chaz]

I had a few bottles given to me that had some mold lumpy bits in the bottoms :? I just left them in a solution of hot water and cleaner for half an hour, then gave 'em a good shake and rinse with water as hot as possible, if there's nothing left stuck in the bottom of the bottle you should be fine :thumb: so far I've never had a problem with re-used / recycled bottles :!: there have been one or two that still had crud in after cleaning they went into the recycling bin :!:

All bottles as I empty them get a quick rinse out and a better wash the next morning before going back into storage ready for the next bottling :thumb:

 

[Good Ed]

James,

You need to make a trip to your local brew shop and get some sanitiser and a bottle brush and give the bottles a good going over, then rinse them a few times and you'll be all set, there's no shortcuts with this I'm afraid. Mouldy beer is not good.

Good luck

 

[Moley]

I really do think you're worrying over nothing. Wash, rinse, mould shouldn't stick, and even if it did it's unlikely to do you any harm.

However, have you got some moral objection to using chemicals? I would be far more concerned by your using boiling water to sterilise, thermal shock, shattered glass and scalding.

 

[JamesJenkins]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. Yes, not too keen on chemicals near my beer - trying to be as organic as possible (although I realise the kit isn't organic).

Would I know if the mould had effected the beer when I opened the bottle?

Thanks,

James

 

[JamesJenkins]

I don't have a brew shop near me and I really could do with getting the beer bottled. If I was to use a chemical cleaner is there any product I am likely to get locally that I could use?

Thanks,

James

 

[Moley]

Thin household bleach, used at around 20ml to the litre, 20-30 minutes contact time and then rinse.

Or, ‘Milton’ type sterilising fluid, as used for babies' bottles. 15ml to the litre, but otherwise as above.

Would I know if the mould had affected the beer when I opened the bottle?

I don't know, I've never lost a pint to a dirty bottle

But seriously, I think it would be pretty obvious.

 

[jamesb]

:wha:

Even Organic food/beer producers have to use chemical cleansers and sanitisers.

 

[JamesJenkins]

Oh, ok. Well I could use a Milton tablet to cleen them. Hell, there cannot be too much to worry about with them if they use then on babies bottles.

James

 

[tubby_shaw]

Oh, ok. Well I could use a Milton tablet to cleen them. Hell, there cannot be too much to worry about with them if they use then on babies bottles.

James

Just remember to rinse very well to remove any residue :thumb:

 

[Baz Chaz]

Would I know if the mould had affected the beer when I opened the bottle?

I don't know, I've never lost a pint to a dirty bottle

But seriously, I think it would be pretty obvious.

Hmmmmm a chewy lump in the bottom of your glass :sick: :sick: :sick: :lol:

 

[Duncs]

Would I know if the mould had effected the beer when I opened the bottle?

You would know when you take a sip :sick: I got a load of bottles from a pub, one of them had a beer mat shoved into it that I didn't notice when steralising my bottles. Once you've tasted mouldy beer, you'll never want to taste it again :sick: :sick: :sick: :sick: :sick:

 

[Aleman]

Another alternative for a 'cleanser' ONLY is to use One of the OxyAction type laundry cleaners (Whizz or Astonish OxyPlus . . . Ecover also do one sold in BnQ)

Fill a bowl with very hot water . . . add a couple of scoops of the powder stir and immediately submerge the bottles in the solution and leave to soak for 10-15 minutes.

This will lift practically anything off the glass, . . . it's easily rinsed (as long as you don't leave it soaking too long when a white powdery deposit can form).

Another way would be to stand all the bottles up and jug / funnel the solution into the bottles . . . that outsides being clean already.

Don't leave bottles with stuff in them once opened . . . rinse it out three times with hot water and leave inverted . . . it's then clean and ready to disinfect prior to filling again.

 

[JamesJenkins]

Do you mean this stuff?

http://www.ecover.com/gb/en/Products/Laundry/20050711+bleekmiddel+UK.htm

Because funnily enough I only bought a packet yesterday for the first time!

James

 

[Aleman]

Do you mean this stuff?
http://www.ecover.com/gb/en/Products/Laundry/20050711+bleekmiddel+UK.htm

That's the stuff, When the percarbonate has done its stuff you are left with a solution that is effectively washing soda . . .Another good cleaner. . . . In thoery there shouldn't be a deposit, but in hard water areas you do get one and it can be a PITA to remove, so once the percarbonate has done it's stuff (stopped fixxing) I prefer to get it off the glassware.

 

[gurtpint]

Hi James. As far as sanitizing goes, my life has definitely been made easier by Star San. Effective and no rinsing needed.

http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/aca ... _227g.html

 

[JamesJenkins]

Just doing it now... I see what you mean about the white powder after using the cleaner. What is it? Getting it off the outside ok, bit worried about how much might be left on the inside though. Will the milton get it off?

James

 

[kirton]

Oh, ok. Well I could use a Milton tablet to cleen them. Hell, there cannot be too much to worry about with them if they use then on babies bottles.

James

Milton is just dilute sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), the main constituant of bleach. The water board dose the mains water with it to around 1ppm, sometimes higher. Depending on how dirty the pipes are, then there's a good chance that there's still going to be some still in there when it reaches the tap. I tested my tap water once because I thought I could smell chlorine and the result was 3ppm.

If your making your beer/wine using tap water, then I really wouldn't be too concerned about using Milton and it adding any further chemicals into your beer. Use Milton to sterilise your bottles, rinse and drain. If there's any Milton left then it really will be a miniscule amount! It's better to sterilise than not and like Moley said, boiling water and glass really doesn't mix.

PS. don't use household bleach, even though it's main ingreadient is sodium hypochlorite it also contains other stuff which makes it gloopy so it sticks to surfaces... and you really don't want that **** in your beer!

:

 

[kirton]

Do you mean this stuff?
http://www.ecover.com/gb/en/Products/Laundry/20050711+bleekmiddel+UK.htm

That's the stuff, When the percarbonate has done its stuff you are left with a solution that is effectively washing soda . . .Another good cleaner. . . . In thoery there shouldn't be a deposit, but in hard water areas you do get one and it can be a PITA to remove, so once the percarbonate has done it's stuff (stopped fixxing) I prefer to get it off the glassware.

When this is in solution it releases Hydrogen Peroxide, another pretty nasty chemical in it's own right but no doubt it'll do the job. It's personal choice, but personally, I'd rather chlorine.

I see what you mean about the white powder after using the cleaner. What is it? Getting it off the outside ok, bit worried about how much might be left on the inside though. Will the milton get it off?

.
Have you just used the Ecover stuff? If so then it's probably only sodium carbonate, which is soluble, so should just rinse off.

:drunk: i think the one on the right just drunk a mouldy one lol!